https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper.atomPlayful Paper - Playful Paper2020-05-31T09:21:00-04:00Playful Paperhttps://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/june-2020-phone-wallpaper2020-05-31T09:21:00-04:002020-05-31T09:21:17-04:00June 2020 Phone WallpaperLindsey Riel
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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/how-i-use-google-calendar-with-my-paper-planner2020-05-18T14:43:00-04:002020-05-18T14:43:37-04:00How I Use Google Calendar With My Paper PlannerLindsey Riel
Y'all know I love me a paper planner, but guess what? I also use Google Calendar. It's actually a seamless process for me at this point, but back when I tried to use just one or the other it was a bit of a mess. I was of the mindset that I had to choose, that using both would just be too much and overwhelm me. Turns out, trying to use one or the other is what actually overwhelmed me. 🤷🏻‍♀️So, I created a system that ensures I never miss an important appointment, while also allowing my brain to breathe on the pages of my Just Today Planner. That sounds super dramatic, but hey - that's what it feels like! Don't judge me. 😂

How I Use Google Calendar With My Paper Planner

1. I always start in my paper planner, for me, that's obviously The Just Today Planner By, Playful Paper. Each morning I have my coffee and jot down everything on my mind, then I go through the questions on each daily page. Throughout my day I make notes of any upcoming appointments or reminders I need to set.

2. At the end of each day I add any appointments that I wrote down in my paper planner to my Google Calendar, and assign it accordingly.

3. Repeat.

How to Organize Google Calendar

That's my super simple system, but here's how I keep it all organized. If you've never used Google Calendar before, you'll want to create various "calendars" within your account. For instance, each family member has their own calendar, I have a work calendar, a family calendar, a personal calendar, a Birthday calendar, a calendar for our fur babies, and a calendar for just my Husband's work schedule.

They are all color coded to keep things clear. You can also toggle any and all calendars off or on to view just that one at a time, or you can view them all at once. Here are the steps I recommend taking to get your family all setup and organized with Google Calendar.

1. Create a calendar for each person in your family, and send them an email invite so they can also view the calendar. I use my girls' favorite colors for their calendars, it helps me instantly recognize who has something scheduled that day.

2. Create a perpetual calendar for Birthdays, and Anniversaries. Be sure and set these events to repeat yearly.

3. Add the Holidays in the United States Calendar option.

4. Go through the general settings as well as each individual calendar you create and make sure you set the notifications as you'd like them. You'll even have the option to show or hide weekends.

5. Refine. Just get your calendars made, and start your new system. If after a week it's not working well, tweak it. Reorganize, rename, adjust your settings and notifications etc. - Make it work for you!

If you click on the gear at the top of your calendar you'll have the option to "get add-ons" - this is super neat if you're wanting to integrate any of the apps you're maybe using for work with your calendar.

It's funny, we've actually used our Just Today Planners and Google Calendar MORE in quarantine. My girls have time to journal each morning and answer the questions on their daily pages, then they have their Google Calendar synced with their iPads. They get reminders when it's time for a Google Meet, or when it's time to get some homework or their chores done. We have nowhere we need to be, but the semblance of structure they both provide together has been so incredibly helpful.

To sum up:

Google Calendar: Events and appointments I need reminders for.

Paper Planner: Everything else.

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/12-ways-i-overcome-depression-and-anxiety2020-05-17T15:54:00-04:002020-05-17T16:09:18-04:0012 Ways I Overcome Depression and AnxietyLindsey Riel
First of all, let's just get this out of the way. Absolutely no one is immune to a bout of depression and/or anxiety. Last I checked, over 300 million people around the world have been diagnosed with depression at one point or another. You are not weird. I've dealt with depression and anxiety from a very young age - it's just part of my life that comes and goes and I no longer freak out about it as I once did. Developing that "oh hey girl, you're back. uninvited. boo. whatever. this sucks. is what it is." attitude towards it has helped tremendously. It's 2020. Let's stop acting like depression and anxiety are shameful somehow. You are not alone. I got you, boo!

I've been a work at home Military Spouse for 15 years, so a lot of my adult life has been spent in isolation allowing me to become very aware of behaviors that either hurt or help me. As such, I've developed a solid set of rules that I live by in order to get back to a healthy physical and mental state. Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. Like not even close. But this is what works for me, and I hope you'll find it helpful.

12 Ways I Overcome Depression and Anxiety

1. Drink Water - Make drinking a glass of water be the first thing you do each morning when you get up. You're already chipping away at your daily goal this way, and you've accomplished something you can feel good about. Additionally, water intake is crucial to regulating hormones. Lots of doctors recommend drinking half your body weight in ounces of water. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, drink 100 ounces each day.

2. No Fast Food - When you're fighting back the dark clouds of depression, it's important to know exactly what you're putting into your body. Fast food and prepackaged meals tend to have loads of chemicals and preservatives. For instance, I was fortunate to learn early on that nitrates and aspartame give me debilitating migraines. Upon further research, I learned that certain chemicals in food affect hormone regulation as well. I'm not a doctor, so I don't want to get into the nitty gritty here, but I highly recommend you do this research. Start with the foods you've been consuming most as you feel a wave of depression coming on.

3. No Alcohol - Oh man, I love me a glass of wine (or three), but when I feel depression coming on I know the first thing that has to go is my vino. Alcohol is by nature a depressant. It disrupts hormonal balance and wreaks havoc on your nervous system. In fact, if you feel chronically depressed this is likely the first thing that needs to go. It could very well be the sole cause of your depression.

4. Exercise - Ugh! When I'm feeling depressed or anxious the absolute LAST thing I want to do is exercise. In fact it makes me angry to think of someone even suggesting it on especially tough days. That said, if you can force yourself to do any amount of exercise it will drastically improve your mood. Again, you're accomplishing something. More importantly, however, exercise increases the production and release of seratonin (the "happy chemical" in your brain). Bonus if you can exercise outdoors and get some sunshine/Vitamin D! Just sit outside if that's all you can do that day. Let the sun hit ya, and breathe in some fresh air.

5. Cut All Sugar And Limit Carbs - This might not work for everyone, but I've found by cutting all sugar and limiting my carb intake I feel brand new. I think more clearly. I feel more energetic. Our bodies are all different, so this may not work like magic for you as it does for me, but it's worth giving it a try.

6. Feel Your Feelings - There are many types of depression, but if yours is situational? Feel. Your. Feelings. Work through them. Ignoring something doesn’t make it go away. You’ll just end up prolonging things and feeling worse. Feel the feelings, work through them, make a plan.

7. Get Back Up - It may take a day, a week, a month, whatever.. Get back up, do the things you know you need to do to feel better. Most importantly, know that you will get back up. Trust yourself that this is not forever. That you will get back to yourself, and you will feel good again.

8. Have A Goal And Track Your Progress - A mindshift often works for me. Instead of focusing on how I feel, I focus on how I want to feel. And I set a goal to get there. I like to make this a goal I can track with actual numbers. Weight loss, water consumption, steps per day etc.. Something to show myself that I can set a goal, and make it happen.

9. Be Kind to Yourself - On especially bad days, depression can make you feel so heavy that even getting up seems impossible. Keep your self talk pragmatic. Recognize that this is depression. It's a thing. It's heavy. It sucks. You didn't choose to feel like this. It is not who you are. Then try to do at least one thing that day. Just one. The next day, try to do two things. And if you aren't able to? That's okay. This will pass. The single most unhelpful thing you can do is talk negatively to yourself while you're enduring those feelings.

10. Journal - Get it out, sister! Write down exactly how you feel, the good, bad and ugly. And make sure you date it and include anything circumstancial that may have contributed to your current state. This way you can begin to notice patterns, and have documentation if you decide to see a counselor or therapist. Which, by the way, is like a spa day for your brain. I freakin' love therapy!

11. Talk About It. Have A Support System. - Speaking of therapy.. If you have the means to do so, make an appointment. Therapy is a gift. Talking to someone about things you've kept locked up in your mind is so freeing. If you aren't able to meet with a therapist, find someone you can talk to. Call someone. Email someone. Message someone. There have been days where I don't even answer text messages because it's too much work, and I don't want to have to explain how I feel. But as soon as I feel that heaviness lift a little bit, the first thing I do is call my Sister and unload. Sometimes this is just a series of grunts. 🤷🏻‍♀️Which usually leads to much needed laughs. You don't even have to tell anyone what you're going through, but I promise talking to someone will make a world of difference in getting out of your head.

12 - Pray - Last, but first on my list. I know not everyone has/wants a relationship with Jesus. But let me tell ya, remembering to chat with Him first is the most important step in feeling like myself again. When something feels too heavy, I can say a silent prayer in my head and hand that burden over. What a gift!

Alrighty, friends! If you're struggling right now, please know you're not alone. These are strange times we're livin' in. Just put one foot in front of the other and know this will pass.

Big hugs and lots of love!Lindsey

Disclaimer: The above tips are what have helped me over the years. I am not a doctor, this is not medical advice, if you are suffering from depression and/or anxiety and need help please contact your health care provider.

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/digital-clutter-how-to-organize-your-computer-files2020-04-09T13:13:00-04:002020-04-09T13:17:13-04:00How to Organize Your Computer FilesLindsey Riel
Hi my name is Lindsey. I've been a web and graphic designer for 15 years, and a perfectionist since birth. Because there are dozens of variations of one single file saved to my computer at any given time, I've had to refine a process over the years that keeps me from being featured on the digital edition of Hoarders. As I mentioned in my Tips and Tools for Working From Home article, physical clutter will prevent you from focusing, and same goes with your digital workspace. Feel like your computer is a mess? There's hope! This process will help you create a system you'll actually be able to stick with, thereby preventing files from piling up and becoming overwhelming. Like laundry, but that's a post for another day. *runs to restart the dryer and swears I'll lay the clothes out this time so they don't wrinkle*

How to Organize Your Computer Files

Alright, so where to start? As I've mentioned before, I have my masters from Trial and Error University. With files dating back to 2005 on multiple devices, I've organized, then reorganized, and organized everything again over the years. I finally created the ultimate system, and I'm going to walk you through it step by step. If you think something should be done differently so that it works for you, tweak it. Take one step at a time. I recommend reading through this entire article start to finish, then going back through the steps one by one to organize your computer files. Alright.. grab something to drink, and let's do this!

1. Close every program and file on your computer. Grab a piece of paper and a pen. Yep, in order to declutter your digital space, you start with a physical piece of paper. We aren't creating any new files to sort through, and you need a visual hierarchy to reference. Draw a line down the middle of your paper vertically. Write Work on the left, and Personal on the right. Now look at your desktop. If you have a ton of files there, that's a big fat no. In fact, your goal is going to be zero files saved to your desktop. For now, glance at everything there and see which types of files you have the most of. For me, it's design files. So the first thing I'm writing beneath Work is a "Design Files" heading. Underneath that, I'll create subfolders with "Illustrator Files" "Photoshop Files" "Indesign Files" etc. If yours are Word documents for instance, do the same and label them "Spreadsheets" "Family Stuff" etc. You get the picture. Do this until you've got a general idea of the hierarchy you'll use when it comes time to organize all of your files. You won't be able to get into the nitty gritty until you've begun to sort through them one by one. You just want your top 5-10 major file groups.

2. Create a folder on your desktop and name it "Desktop April 2020" or whatever month it is when you're reading this. Now hit command+a to select all of the files on your desktop, then deselect (shift+click) the "Desktop April 2020" folder, and drag all of those files into this folder so that nothing is left on your desktop, but the new "Desktop April 2020" folder.

3. Open two finder windows on Mac, or Explorer windows on Windows so that you now have two windows side by side. Drag your "Desktop April 2020" folder into your Documents folder. (From here on out sub Finder for Windows Explorer Window if you're not using a Mac.)

Tip: Save everything into the cloud so you can access it on any device. If you're using iCloud, you'll see "Documents" under the iCloud title in your finder window.

4. In your finder, go to wherever your Downloads are currently saved and move that folder to your Documents folder. Rename it "Downloads April 2020". Now your Desktop should be completely clear. Take a deep breath and enjoy that for a second before we get to work.

5. Now we're going to open both of our finder windows to the Documents windows. Drag them so they're side by side again. On the left, navigate to your Desktop April 2020 folder. On the right, keep your Documents window open.

6. The Documents window is going to be where you keep every little thing from here on out. Even downloads. Let's set that now. Create a folder in your Documents window titled "Chrome Downloads" or whatever browser it is you're using. Next, If you're using Google Chrome, navigate to the Chrome Menu > Preferences > Advanced > Downloads. Select "Change" next to Location. Select that new folder you just created.

7. Now you're going to create 2 new folders in your Documents window. A Work folder, and a Personal folder. Go ahead and file anything you currently have in your Documents window into one of those two folders. Once that's complete and your Documents window shows only the Work, Personal, Desktop and Downloads folders we can begin to sort through the other files and create subfolders along the way. Don't get too crazy, and don't be too broad. Think in terms of how you would search for each item. If there are a gazillion of something, break it down a bit further.

Tip: If you think there are things you might need, but aren't sure? Put them in a folder titled "Trash In A Month", set a reminder on your calendar to go back in a month and check the last time each file was opened. If there are still files there, file them under Work or Personal at that point.

8. Now you're going to go file by file sorting until everything has a place. This can be a tedious process, but if you do it correctly now, and keep your system in place by always taking that extra step to file things properly in real time, you'll be set. Start with your Desktop folder open on the left, and Documents folder open on the right. When you're finished with that folder, and it's empty, delete it. Next, open your Downloads folder on the left, and Documents folder on the right until you finish sorting through those files. Make sure you're creating subfolders that make sense as you organize these files under either Work or Personal. For example, Under Work I have "Illustrator Files", "Photoshop Files", "Business Documents", etc. And under personal, I have "Taxes", "Family Documents" etc. Most importantly, do not be afraid to get rid of things you no longer need. Much like physical clutter, these things will have to be dealt with at one point or another and take up even more of your time. Deal with them now. Need or don't need. Do I need a water bill PDF from last year? Nope. Trash.

9. There will inevitably be days you're in a hurry and things are left on your desktop. Set a weekly reminder to go back and organize your files.

10. Don't be afraid to change things up. If you feel like adding a separate folder for something would be beneficial, do it. You have to make this system work for you. The general idea is that you keep everything in one place, your Documents window. And only the broadest of folder titles there. Then you'll break things down into your smaller subfolders, as small as you feel necessary. Although, from experience, I'd say less is more with folder titles. It's much easier to search through a folder you know contains what you're looking for, than it is to search through 20 that might contain your file. Yes you can spotlight search your entire computer for a file, if you remember what you named it (hardly ever in my case), but knowing it's in a specific folder will save you far more time than you realize in the long run.

Helpful Tips:

Take the extra step and have screenshots saved to a specific folder. I also placed this in my Documents window. On a mac, you can find this option under Utilities > Screenshot > Options > Save to "Other Location" > New Folder > Create the screenshot folder under your Documents window there then select "choose".

Wait about a week before you empty your trashcan just in case you were a bit overzealous with deleting files.

If you start to feel like you just want to delete everything and be done with it, take a break and come back. It's worth putting a solid system in place, and making sure you've truly sorted through everything.

Use command + a to select all of your files at once, and drag to the other window.

Hold down the shift key to select multiple files at once, then drag to the other window.

Choose "Sort by Name" in your Finder window as your default, so everything is in alphabetical order. Right click "Show View Options".

Navigate to Finder > Preferences > General > "New Finder Window Shows" and select "Documents" so that it's the first window you see.

It's my hope that this process helps you get better organized, and maybe even eliminate some underlying stress. I know I feel so much more relaxed and optimistic when I wake up in a clean home, and I definitely feel the same about sitting down to work at an organized computer. If you have any questions as you organize, or tips you think might be helpful for others, please leave 'em in the comments below.

xo Lindsey

Pin or bookmark this post in case your system needs some tweaking later on.

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/for-such-a-time-as-this2020-04-03T12:42:00-04:002020-05-20T19:20:50-04:00For Such A Time As ThisLindsey Riel
I have a lot to say today, and a couple of action items below, so stick with me.. When I sat down to design the Just Today Planner, I initially wanted to include fun tabs, and have a dated option, but couldn’t help but feel like it wasn’t the right time. It’s my flagship product, and I didn’t want the stress of selling every single planner before a specific deadline. I also kept remembering why I was creating this planner in the first place. To help people. To be a useful tool in keeping a positive mindset.

As an avid “self help” reader since high school, an entrepreneur of 15 years, a Mom, and someone with their masters from trial and error university - I’d tried all the things and took note of what worked best. I've always had a desire to help others, but never been able to pinpoint how. I’ve also wasted so many dated planners over the years because I didn’t need them every single day. This wouldn't be *just* a planner. It would encompass the habits that keep me from sinking into the pit of despair, and get me back on track when I do.

Setting my intentions every. single. morning.

Making sure I exercise and drink half my body weight in ounces of water each day.

Writing down the one big goal I’m working towards each morning *before* I create my To-Do List.

Telling myself exactly who I will be that day.

Having an open schedule to either write in my day, or write in the day I *want* to have.

Making sure I’m looking outside of myself for ways I can help others.

Not just thinking, but writing down what I’m grateful for each day.

Making sure there’s a plan for dinner, so our family can sit down together each evening over a hot meal.

An archival quality product that allows me to journal alongside all of these things.

Reflection. Writing down what my favorite part of each day was before I go to sleep.

So many months of design work, prayer, and thought went into creating this seemingly simple planner/journal/daily companion and now more than ever I am SO incredibly grateful I trudged through the hard days. There’s never been a time I needed it more. To wake up and have right in front of me the steps I know will get me on track each day. The things I need to do in order to stay focused on what matters most to me. To be the best version of myself. My favorite Bible Verse has been on repeat here lately, maybe you'll find it helpful as well..

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

If you’re struggling to cope with these strange times we're living in, don't let anxiety and fear take over. I encourage you to wake up each morning and set your intentions. You don’t need a planner for this, you can use this free printable, or you can just jot it down on a piece of paper. Recite that verse above, then set those intentions. Put it down in writing and go back to it throughout the day.

Make yourself a loose schedule. Our Pastor keeps emphasizing how important it is to have routine and structure right now, especially for our children, and that reminder has been so helpful for me. To wake up each day with purpose.

These are strange times we’re living in, but God did not give us a spirit of fear. So let’s use this time to be the best versions of ourselves. We’ve had days when we wake up at 11, and days when we’re up at 6. The days we’re up at 6 are the best, even when we’re tired. The days we get up, get ready, and go through our routines are the ones we’ve made the best memories. The more productive we are, the better we all feel.

Difference Makers

All of the super smart business folks will tell you to have a mission and always come back to it no matter how big or small the decision. It's one of the very first things you do, so that each decision made after reflects that mission. Having heard that so much over the years, the mission of Playful Paper was crystal clear from the beginning...

"To create purposeful products that inspire a community that chooses to make the ordinary magical, LIVE FUN, LOVE BOLDLY, and RADIATE POSITIVITY."

One of my favorite songs is Difference Maker by Need to Breathe, like if souls had hype songs, this would be mine. I want to help build a community that lives fun, loves boldly and radiates positivity. A community of Difference Makers. (song best listened to with headphones, turned up super loud, while on a walk or run outside.)

I’ll have more on that in the coming days, but for now I’ve created these wallpapers for your phone to remind you that you are a Difference Maker. Click on the wallpaper of your choice, it will take you to the full size, then save.

For Such A Time As This

I'm extremely fortunate to be surrounded by positive people. In 15 years of doing business online, our email community has grown exponentially. The best part is that I've had the blessing of being on the receiving end of some of the kindest, impromptu emails. Some of you have been with me since my Color Army days (The OG's!) some know me from MomAndWife.com, but most of you know me from Pretty Darn Cute Design. I'd launch a new theme at Pretty Darn Cute and ya'll would email back paragraphs of nice things. You didn't have to do that. Some of you have helped me through difficult times, some of you have become "real life" friends, and some of you are new friends that just radiate positivity.

I know the kind of people you are, and I can't help but think we'd be missing out on a huge opportunity to do good in this world if we don't all come together. I’d love for you to join our new small, but mighty, facebook group the Playful Paper Village. I want to share ideas, and uplifting stories in there. Things we can do to make a difference in the world, not just during these hard times, but always. I want you to help build this community and be a part of what will become a massive movement.

A community that lives fun, loves boldly and radiates positivity, and inspires others to do the same.

I'm also gonna need some feedback on t-shirt designs for our village. It’s my hope and prayer that you’re thriving during this time, and if you’re not, please reach out at any time. I’m here, just ask my email friends, we chat on the regular :)

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/april-phone-wallpaper-with-calendar2020-04-01T11:54:00-04:002020-04-01T11:54:50-04:00April Phone Wallpaper With CalendarLindsey Riel
Now more than ever I feel like we have to celebrate every little thing possible - So April's wallpaper has balloons! I hope y'all are all healthy and hangin' in there throughout this super weird time. xo Lindsey

Just click on the wallpaper you like, and then save the full size image on the next screen.

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/weekly-printable-bible-verse-john-14-62020-03-30T15:29:00-04:002020-05-20T19:21:26-04:00Weekly Printable Bible Verse - John 14:6Lindsey Riel
Hey Friends! As part of our quarantine routine, the girls are memorizing a new Bible verse each week. This week's verse is John 14:6.

Jesus answered, “I amthe wayand the truthand the life.No one comes to the Father except through me." (New International Version, John 14:6)

To help them along, I'm creating a printable with each verse and taping them up around the house, on mirrors, the fridge, above their computers, and by their beds.

Truly anywhere you think they'll see it frequently, just pop one up there. Do you have a Bible verse you'd like to see featured one week? Leave it in the comments below! xo Lindsey

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/19-screen-free-activities-for-the-whole-family2020-03-27T13:23:00-04:002020-05-20T19:22:17-04:0019 Screen Free Activities For The Whole FamilyLindsey Riel
When I was little we moved out of state for a period of time. When you don't have Grandparents down the street, or family gatherings regularly, you get creative. Some of my favorite childhood memories involve my parents playing with us. Not only was it hilarious for your Dad to morph into a dinosaur, but we all talked and laughed about it for days. In fact we STILL (all in our 30s) talk and laugh about the silly things our parents did to entertain us.

Now as a Military Spouse of 15 years that lives out of state, away from extended family, we've found a million and one ways to entertain these kids. I wanted to share a few of our favorites off the top of my head, in hopes they help you fill the hours we're all stuck in our houses and make the most of this time we get together.

19 Screen Free Activities For The Whole Family

Play school

Use our Free Play School Printables, and let your kids create their own school. Get the whole family involved. Have a Principal, Teacher, PE Teacher, Cafeteria Lady etc.. Patton, our springer spaniel, was even the school counselor. He just has super understanding eyes! 😂

Family olympics

This is something our whole family usually saves for birthdays, and Easter, but we'll be bringing this back as much as needed for our little family of four during this quarantine. Create events like jump rope, egg toss, obstacle courses etc. Have an awards ceremony to cap off the day.

Board game tournament

Decide on a game, create a bracket, and play until you have a winner! Pro Tip: Monopoly is it's own event, think more like Connect 4, Checkers, Guess Who, or even card games!

Tickle and pillow fights

Our kids still think it's hilarious when we surprise tickle or start a pillow fight. We all end up laughing so hard we have to beg for a break!

Dance party

Each family member takes turn being the DJ! Make a playlist, have some shout-outs, you get the idea! Kick it up a notch and have a theme, let everyone dress up to match the theme, etc. Ideas: disco party, 90s country, motown etc.

Write and act out a play as a family

When we were little, my parents would create all sorts of fun events. One of the most memorable was our "Coronation Ceremonies". We'd spend hours decorating our paper bag crowns, decorating the hallways with blankets to look like a red carpet, and whoever's turn it was to be crowned would get to dress up with a cape. Video it for them to watch back when they're older, it's one of our family's favorite things to watch.

Egg toss tournament

If you don't feel like going all in on family olympics, you can always just have an egg toss tournament. Kids love this. Simple, hilarious, messy. Do this outside. 😂

Magic Show

You could watch some YouTube tutorials, or just let your kids make up what they think are amazing magic tricks. Either way, have the whole family sit on the couch and watch them put on a show!

Water balloon war

Take this to the next level by giving each person their own color balloon and set boundaries (like dodge ball) to see who can get the most hits!

Nerf Gun War

Self explanatory, but theme it up if you want to make it extra fun. Be super secret spies on the hunt for the hamburglar. Channel your inner Nicholas Cage and go get that Declaration of Independence, Indiana Jones etc!

Family hide and go seek

There are only so many places to hide in a house and backyard, but this one is still always a hit with the kids! Especially when parents play!

Post Office

Ahhh this one might be my favorite! When I was in Kindergarten, our teacher setup the most elaborate Post Office for Valentine's Day (Shout-out to Mrs. Jones!). I think that has a lot to do with it being one of my favorite holidays. That, and our oldest was born on Valentine's Day. Ok, everyone decorates a shoebox as their mailbox, then places them outside their room. One room in the house is the actual post office. Set a desk up so you can receive the mail. Then one person delivers the mail. This is something that can go on all day in the background of whatever else you're doing. And something so simple, but fun for the kids. (and adults who geek out on this sort of thing). 🙋🏻‍♀️

Watch a movie then act it out

Watch a movie, then act it out as a family. Set a time frame like, "the sound of music in five minutes". This can be super funny!

Story time

Let the kids read to you like they're the teacher, raise your hand to ask questions, anything to make them feel like they're in charge which is super fun for kiddos.

Cooking show

This one is so much fun! The idea is that they're filming their own cooking show. We've done this with everything from baking cookies from scratch, making sandwiches, homemade chicken noodle soup, and even slice and bake cookies. Video it and then watch it back on the tv.

Epic living room fort

Ok, but not like "drape a blanket over the couch and call it a day. I'm talking your entire living room looks like a camp site when you're finished. Let the kids bring a few things from their room into their new fort and leave it up for a couple of days. I bought some industrial clamps from Home Depot years ago, highly recommend, they come in super handy. Also, light weight sheets instead of heavy blankets, and Christmas lights send this over the top.

Living room camp out

If you have a tent, put that sucker up in the living room for the day! A whole day of actually camping out in your living room is super fun. Make a weekend of it and theme your meals, have smores etc.

Paint Class

You know those adult painting classes where you bring your own wine? But like for kids. And the kid is the instructor. They choose what you all paint. Just use card stock and water colors if that's all you have. Or even make it simply a drawing class instead of paint which can get messy real fast.

Spa day

We love a spa day around here! I save up face masks from monthly subscription boxes, and we do everything from painting our nails to fun hairstyles, and makeovers. We actually did this outside yesterday so we could soak up the sunshine!

Those are just a few ideas off the top of my head! No matter what you do, spending time as a family, and being creatively involved with your kids is something they'll never forget.

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/14-romantic-comedies-that-will-make-you-smile2020-03-25T14:25:00-04:002020-03-25T14:25:16-04:0014 Romantic Comedies That Will Make You SmileLindsey Riel
One of my favorite snow day activities is watching a feel good romantic comedy with my coffee. Since it feels like we're on an endless run of snow days here lately, I wanted to share some of my favorites. The kind that make you laugh, make you smile, and some that make you laugh until you cry.

14 Romantic Comedies That Will Make You Smile

You've Got Mail

Leap Year

50 First Dates

Kate & Leopold

The Holiday

My Best Friend's Wedding

Love Actually

13 Going on 30

How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days

Aloha

The Proposal

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Bridget Jones' Diary

When Harry Met Sally

I know I'm missing some essentials here, leave your favorites in the comments!

xo Lindsey

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/tips-and-tools-for-working-from-home2020-03-23T14:35:00-04:002020-03-23T15:03:27-04:00Tips and Tools for Working From HomeLindsey Riel
I'll get straight to the point, after 15 years working from home with young children, then around their school hours, and now with them temporarily homeschooling - I've learned a thing or 12 that I'm hoping you may find helpful.

Tips and Tools for Working From Home

Keep it simple.

Don't try to reinvent the wheel, you truly only need the essentials. For the first few years I had a small desk in the corner of our bedroom, and it was completely sufficient. The only problem I had was turning work mode off. I was much less likely to stop working at a decent hour when my desk was in the same room I was supposed to relax and go to sleep in. This was definitely before our 2 girls came along. 😂

Set Working Hours

Which brings me to my next tip, set working hours. In this strange new normal I now work before the girls get up, while they're having free time, and then after they go to sleep if need be. Do not try to do important work when it's impossible to focus. Save it for later. Get up early, whatever you have to do to avoid losing your cool if you're interrupted. Just me? Keeping it real. I get incredibly frustrated when interrupted because it's already so difficult for me to focus. If you do find yourself frustrated, try to laugh at how crazy everything seems lately. Give yourself some grace, boo. Then turn this dance party playlist up loud and shake it off.

Minimize Clutter

Regardless of whether you're working at your kitchen table, the couch, or a home office - minimizing clutter will minimize distraction. If you're working at your island staring at a sink full of dishes, chances are you'll struggle to focus. On the couch with a basket of laundry? Hard pass. Either knock the dishes and laundry out first, or move to another room.

Do what works for YOU.

Everyone and their mother uses Slack. I don't like it. Lots of people swear by it. If something doesn't work for you, find an alternative.

Enjoy it

Hey guess what? You don't have to sit at a desk all day if you don't want to. When the weather is nice, I work at the patio table outside. Shoot, sometimes I'll even lay in the chaise lounger. You make the rules at home as much as you're able.

Know when to take a break

This has always been a big one for me, as I learned early on, the work I do after sitting in the same place for hours isn't exactly my best. Get up. Move around. Go watch an episode of Schitts Creek (so. funny.). Do some yoga, or try a free meditation app.

Stay Social

Don't isolate yourself. Just because you work from home, doesn't mean you can't hop on a video call with a friend or colleague instead of sending another email or text.

Exercise

When you work from home especially, exercise has to be prioritized for your mental health. A minimum of 30 minutes a day is essential for me to feel like a human being and avoid that "stale brain" feeling. I don't know if that's an actual term people use, but it's exactly what it feels like.

Tools for working from home

A plethora of amazing tools have been created as more and more people work from home. Most of these have a free trial period so you can try 'em out to see what does and doesn't work well for you. These are not affiliate links, just highly recommended tools.

Trello - The tool I use the most. Trello lets you work more collaboratively and get more done. Trello’s boards, lists, and cards enable you to organize and prioritize your projects in a fun, flexible, and rewarding way.

Asana - Asana is the work management platform teams use to stay focused on the goals, projects, and daily tasks that grow business.

Dropbox Business - Another collaborative work option. Organize all your team’s content, tune out distractions, and get everyone coordinated with the world’s first smart workspace.

Focus Booster -Stop procrastinating, focus consistently and track your time. Using focus booster you will achieve more, understand how you use your time and feel satisfied knowing you are productive.

Those are just a few tools, if you find yourself struggling with a particular issue as you navigate working from home, google it. I bet there's software available to help. There are even browser extensions from Chrome to manage how much time you spend on each website. You know, to stop flipping back and forth between facebook and email for instance. 🙈

To The Work At Home Moms

I want to speak to you directly, as this is something I have a ton of experience with (good, bad and disastrous). You will not be perfect at this. You will not nail it every single day. Some days you won't be able to work at all. Some days it's going to feel impossible. Some days it will actually be impossible. Do not let mom guilt set in, and if you spiral one day, get right back up the next day and start new.

When I feel overwhelm begin to take over I repeat these three words to myself.

Patience.

Perspective.

Prayer.

For whatever reason, and maybe because I love a good alliteration? These three words have always come to me when I need them. Several years ago I had a very talented gal hand letter a sign for me to place above my desk so I see it every time I sit down.

Patience. - With yourself, with those around you. With the world right now as some have taken to social media to express their frustrations. Be patient.

Perspective. - Now more than ever a perspective check is beyond helpful. Does a missed deadline matter more than helping your child understand their schoolwork? Nope. For that matter, does stressing that you're doing the appropriate amount of schoolwork matter more than having meaningful conversations with your kids? There's a balance, but, again, perspective.

Prayer. - I don't think I've ever prayed so much in my life outside of when my Husband was deployed. For peace, for calm, for health, for the health of others, for our public servants, truck drivers, and everyone whose job requires they be anywhere but home as we navigate these uncertain times. For the ability to focus, and discern when I should take a break. Being in constant conversation with God is 100% the best piece of advice I can offer.

In conclusion..

Take deep breaths, try different things until you find a good rhythm, try your best to have fun with it and keep your coffee away from your keyboard. Kids and dogs are unpredictable, and keyboards do not dry out in rice. At least in my experience 😆.

I'd love to connect with you in our new facebook group to chat more, share your favorite memes, and whatever it is you need to get through this time.

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/our-new-normal2020-03-20T16:40:00-04:002020-03-20T16:41:15-04:00Our Quarantine RoutineLindsey Riel
Last week I shared how I planned to reset my schedule. At the time, I thought we'd be out of school for 2-3 weeks tops, so I hadn't really considered home schooling something that would need to be penciled in regularly. Ha. Oh sweet, little naive last week Lindsey. You're cute.

Today marks 7 days we've been holed up in this house. We've been wingin' it so far without any semblance of structure. Honestly, I needed those 7 days to let the reality of what's going on in the world sink in, to wrap my head around what each day is going to look like, to clearly see what's important, what's not, and where we go from here.

Our Quarantine Routine

In order to establish our new normal, we took the following steps.

1. Family Meeting to discuss expectations, and help the kids understand what's going on in the world. (Free Family Meeting Printable here.)

3. Journal for each kid. (Our girls are using The Just Today Planner 😜) We explained this is not normal, and they'll want to document this time in history for their children and grandchildren to read some day. The JTP has a full page for "notes and stuff" on each daily spread with ample room to journal. We're also documenting our days on the schedule side of the page, and answering the prompts seems more important than ever. No worries if you'd like to do the same, but don't have the planner, you can download the daily page template for free here.

We decided not to create a strict schedule, opting instead to use the Morning and Evening Checklist Printable type format we've stuck with in the past. However, instead of having before and after school (morning and evening) sections, it's one singular checklist.

I added little reminders at the bottom of the checklist to help our kiddos keep their head in the right space. The blank box on the far right is where we'll be writing in a weekly Bible Verse to focus on as a family.

To Sum Up Our Quarantine Routine

Each kid gets a checklist at our weekly family meetings.

We will all get up, and get dressed each morning. Even if it means simply changing into new pajamas. 🤷🏻‍♀️

They each have chores to complete daily.

We are exercising for 30 minutes a day as a family.

We will be outside as much as possible.

Tasks are to be completed before 6pm.

Bedtime/Lights Out at 10pm.

We discussed having fun themed days on the weekends (more on that later!).

The girls will help with cooking meals, they always have and love it.

We will make eye contact when speaking to one another, and no hollerin' from other rooms because that drives Mama crazy.

Quarantine Routine Printable

You can grab the quarantine routine printable for free here. Our aim is to keep a positive vibe humming along over here, laugh even when we feel like crying, and show our kids what it means to persevere and go with the flow. There are so many positives that can come out of this if we choose to focus on what's most important.

Laughing Through It All

I'm a big meme sharer in group texts with my family and friends, and this past week they've been funnier than ever. Humor is medicine, y'all! We shared our fav memes from the past week on the Playful Paper Facebook page yesterday, so when I saw this I knew you'd all appreciate it as much as I do :)

I'm here for ya, sister! Join the Playful Paper Village on Facebook if you'd like to share what is and isn't working for your family, just want to connect, or especially your favorite funny memes. I'm always down for a laugh! We'll all get through this together. xo Lindsey

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/yayas-bran-muffin-recipe2020-03-19T19:50:00-04:002020-03-19T19:51:45-04:00YaYa's Bran Muffin RecipeLindsey Riel
My Mama (YaYa to her grandbabies) has made these Bran Muffins since we were little, they're a hit with adults and kids alike. The mix stores in the refrigerator for 4 weeks, making them an ideal recipe for our unexpected quarantine. Just put it all together, let it sit in the fridge overnight, and you're ready to pop a batch in the oven each morning.

Or afternoon, when the kids want a snack.

Or before bed, when the kids want a snack.

We're currently calling all cooking and baking in this house, Home Economics. The girls love helping, and it reminds me of all the times my Mom let us bake with her. If your kids are bored, and need something fun to do, I made these Free Play School Printables. Have them pencil in Home Ec if you plan on whipping some of these up!

In the largest bowl you own, mix 3 cups of sugar, 2 cups of bran buds, 4 cups of all bran, 5 cups of flour and 1 tsp of salt together.

In a medium sized bowl, pour your quart of buttermilk, and add your 5 tsps of baking soda. Stir to combine, then let it sit for a few minutes as it rises.

Pour your oil and water mixture into the large bowl with the cereal/flour etc.

Next, add your baking soda and buttermilk mixture to the large bowl.

Then, add 6 eggs individually. It’s always a good idea to crack your eggs into a little bowl before adding them to err on the side of caution.

Mix it all together until combined, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

Set a stick of butter out to soften overnight.

The next morning, give it a good stir, and set your oven to 375º (350º for convection).

Spray your muffin tin or muffin liners with Pam.

Bake for 15-25 minutes depending on how much batter you used. A toothpick inserted into the muffin should come out clean, and they're done!

Our whole family eats these with butter, my Dad (Poppy) more than others. 😂Apparently putting an obscene amount of butter on muffins is not a universal thing, so heads up, y'all are missing out! Ha! Some of y'all don't have a YaYa in ya life and it shows. Butter on all the things! My personal favorite way to eat these is cut in half with softened butter. However you eat them, you're sure to love 'em!

If you'd like to print this recipe, simply select the recipe text above, then choose print in your browser.

Enjoy!

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/what-a-travel-agent-wants-you-to-know2020-03-19T13:52:00-04:002020-03-19T13:52:51-04:00What a Travel Agent Wants You to KnowLindsey RielWith all of the uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus (COVID-19), there are a lot of people cancelling travel plans. Myself included. It just so happens my friend Angela owns an agency, Wishes and Wizards Travel Company, that was recently earmarked by Disney as an Authorized Disney Travel Planner Agency and is a wealth of knowledge on all things travel! Her and I have been texting back and forth a lot lately, and thought now would be a fantastic time for a helpful little Q&A!

What A Travel Agent Wants You To Know

First, the question on everyone’s mind, if they decide to cancel their travel plans how should they go about it?

Hi Lindsey! Great question! The first thing they should do is read the CDCs Travel Advisory before they make a decision. There is so much misinformation floating around so that would be the first thing they do. If they know they absolutely want to cancel or reschedule their plans, they need to call their travel agent asap. Currently, there are 3-5 hour wait times to cancel/reschedule plans so the sooner they call their TA, the better. Most cruise lines are offering incentives to move dates instead of cancelling outright and your travel agent can advise you of those incentives. We’ve had quite a few cruise clients move dates instead of cancelling.

What does a travel agent do?

A good travel agent will take care of you from quoting your vacation until you return home. I do everything for my clients from hotel reservations to fastpasses (if they are going to Walt Disney World). My agents provide the same services for their clients. We take care of finding you the best price, monitoring your reservation and applying any discounts you may qualify for, making dining reservations and anything else you would need to have a magical vacation. And if there is a pandemic (or other emergency), we help you with cancellations or rebooking different dates, rescheduling flights and extending their hotel stay.

What does it cost to hire a travel agent?

For most agencies, It’s FREE! There are agencies that charge planning fees but my agency does not. What most people don’t know is that vendors build in a commission for every booking and it doesn’t matter if it is simply the purchase of tickets-only or a vacation package, you will pay the same amount whether you book directly or with a travel agent. The benefit of booking with an agent is having an expert advocate on your side to handle any issues that may arise leading up to and during your vacation.

And remember, when you book with a travel agent, you are supporting a small business.

What’s the best part of being a Travel Agent/Agency Owner?

Besides working with my amazing agents, my favorite part has to be creating magical memories for my clients. I know it sounds cliche’ but it’s true! Last year, I had a client who wanted to take her granddaughter to Universal Orlando and possibly Disney. She was only going to be in Orlando for three days so she didn’t think she would have time to go to Disney and she really wanted her granddaughter to meet the princesses. So I suggested going to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party one night because I knew the princesses would be there. She could hit the Universal parks during the day. Next I suggested dinner during the party at Cinderella’s Royal Table because I knew she would definitely meet princesses there. And then I surprised her by getting a reservation at Bippidi Boppidi Boutique so her granddaughter could get a princess makeover before dinner. Persistence pays off and after checking several times a day for a few days, I got them! The photos from that night was one of the best things I have seen in a long time. That little girl’s face glowed in each and every shot. That grandmother is now one of my best repeat clients!

What’s the number one thing people forget to pack?

Extra phone chargers! There is nothing worse than running out of power mid-day and having to buy one on vacation. I send my clients a Vacation Packing List so they can check things off as they pack them!

What’s your best piece of advice for families traveling with children?

Don’t set expectations too high for your vacation. Traveling with children is hard no matter your destination. Expect to take many breaks, expect and plan for meltdowns and remind yourself to enjoy the sweet times in between. It really does go by so fast (your vacation and childhood) and you don’t want to miss a single second.

What’s your dream destination?

Ohhh, another good one! I would really love to visit Tokyo DisneySea Or Shanghai Disney. I know, I know, more Disney? Yep!

Why should people use a travel agent instead of booking their travel themselves?

That’s a great question! When you go on vacation, do you want to relax knowing every aspect of your vacation from price to plans is taken care of? That you have received the best possible deal for your hotel? Sure, there are plenty of online travel sites (and even the big box store travel agencies) that you can book through and they advertise incredible prices but once you book, you are on your own if something goes wrong. You might also discover that great prices are not so great after all because of hidden fees they tack on at checkout.

Our agents get to know their clients, what their likes and preferences are and what kind of vacation experience they want. Once they have that information, they will provide recommendations and help their clients select the perfect vacation. Budgeting is important and we can help determine what your trip will cost so you are not shocked by hidden fees (like with the online booking agencies). You will know exactly what everything will cost before you make your reservation and book your trip.

And we are there for you if things go wrong! Weather happens, transportation issues happen, and illness happens. We take care of making alternate arrangements for flights, hotels, even meals. Isn’t that the kind of support you want if something should happen?​ What I am trying to say is that a travel agent will take care of you so all you need to do is pack and show up ready to relax!

What does it mean that you are an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner Agency?

This means we know our Disney details! We were given this special designation by Disney as a result of our agency’s ongoing focus and commitment to planning customized, magical trips to the Disney Parks, Disney Cruise Line® and other Disney vacation destinations worldwide. Every agent has completed the College of Disney Knowledge (and updates that are required each year). And next year, we’re on target to achieve the same distinction from Universal Orlando Parks & Resorts!

How does someone become a travel agent specializing in Disney destinations?

My advice to anyone who wants to do this is do your research, check out different agencies. Most Disney-focused agencies want their agents to have at least three recent trips to a Disney destination in the last five years, experience staying at one or more on-site resorts, and be an expert on all things Disney parks.

Thank You, Angela!

Wow, that was a lot of amazing information - I had no idea Travel Agents did ALL of that! If you're in need of a Travel Agent, definitely check out Wishes and Wizards Travel Company. Angela is my "real life" friend and her and I could spend hours talking Disney. She knows ALL the things, y'all. My Husband and I spent our Honeymoon at Disney World, and have been taking our kids yearly since they were old enough to enjoy it. We geek out over behind the scenes blog posts, videos, and documentaries. To have met someone in real life who knows more than me about Disney World was so exciting (and impressive! haha!). If you're planning a Disney trip, she's you're girl!

Start Pre-Planning Now

Instead of being super bummed we had to cancel our upcoming Disney World trip, we're having a blast as a family planning out details for when we are able to go. We watch Disney World YouTube videos (our fav is The Tim Tracker!), try to recreate our favorite Disney treats in the kitchen, and have even begun our packing list. Little things like this have kept us smiling and with something to look forward to in these uncertain times. Also, Angela and I text Disney stuff back and forth ;)

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/homeschooling-in-difficult-times2020-03-16T17:02:00-04:002020-03-16T17:02:38-04:00Homeschooling In Difficult TimesLindsey Riel
Our kids are out of school for a minimum of 2 weeks starting today, and I woke up this morning without a plan. We watched Science Mom and Math Dad (love them!) and then had an hour of quiet reading, and recess.

That's about as far as I got today. The amount of information on the internet is overwhelming. Since a lot of us have unexpectedly found ourselves in the role of Teacher until further notice, I asked my sweet friend Lauren (an absolute homeschool pro, and super fun Mom!) to share any and everything she thinks might help. What she has to say is exactly what I needed to hear. I hope this post helps get your head in the right space as well.

Homeschooling In Difficult Times

With all of the school closings and crazy times we are living through, I thought I'd share some information for those of you who will be homeschooling for the next few weeks. I am by no means a homeschooling expert, and I'm sure lots of more experienced moms will be sharing great resources, but I figured if I helped even one person, it would be worth my time to write something up! I've been homeschooling for 7 years, and our four children range from 2 years old to 10 years old. We are by no means experts at staying home- we are very sociable homeschoolers- but I think we probably have more experience with it than the average family.

I truly think the most important thing we can focus on during this time is our family culture. We want our children to come out of this experience with memories of the happy times we spent together, resetting our 'normal' to revolve around family togetherness and our homes. I completely understand not wanting your children to get academically behind, but I would suggest you never try to replicate the school experience in your home. This is a time to learn together, grow together, and become closer. I believe this time could be a blessing for your family. I hope you all are able to come out of this with a new reliance on each other and a new concentration on what really matters in life!

First of all, in times of stress (which can be any time in raising a family, no national crisis needed!) I think children can thrive off of expectations and structure. We do a lot of field tripping and group activities in our homeschool life, so we are definitely not used to spending all our time here. This is the daily schedule I wrote up for our family, and the kids are loving it so far. It can make your day amazingly easier if everyone knows what is coming next, especially if you have a child who gets bored easily.

I’d like to share some of our favorite non-book learning ideas too- technology can be such a blessing to your family, especially for those who don't have a true curriculum to work at home with. One of our favorite things to do is watch a YouTube video and then I have the kids illustrate what we learned about and write about it. My kids don't think its school work at all! Our favorite is Saddleback Kids videos- they are fantastic Bible stories and can open up some great discussions with your kids.

There are SO many great videos for kids on YouTube- this is a fantastic opportunity to find out what your kids are excited about and interested in, and run with it! Children will retain an amazing amount of information when they are learning something they are interested in. We love doing a science project and then finding a great video to learn more about the subject! We recently did one on bouncing bubbles, then watched a video on bubble science, and it was lots of fun for the whole family.

We can't go on field trips right now but there are some really great virtual field trips available to watch together. Every year at Thanksgiving we watch the Scholastic virtual field trip through the Mayflower and Pilgrim and Native American village! A quick trip to pinterest will find tons of fun projects to work together on. Scholastic is even offering 20 days of learning projects and ideas for free here. I can't wait to work on some of these with my kids!

Reading aloud together can be amazing for your family. I definitely recommend you try having what a lot of homeschoolers call 'morning time' or 'basket time' where you try to fill up your children with good and beautiful things. Its okay to fidget and play legos or magnatiles- it's also great to make it a tea time with yummy snacks. If you don't feel like reading aloud, try to find a great audiobook for your family! The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place is a favorite of ours. Lots of howling to keep the little ones interested!

Try exposing your children to some of your favorite things. They will catch onto your excitement and watching them experience something you love for the first time is SO fun. I remember the first time my oldest ran to me, so very mad at Snape, and I loved experiencing that with her again!

If you have preschoolers, print out worksheets in their favorite theme and use pinterest to find a project they will enjoy. If they are devastated the rodeo was cancelled, print out a rodeo worksheet pack and build yourself a cucumber cactus! There are so many free options.

If you have little ones, I definitely recommend a sensory box or something tactile for them to play with when you are doing school with the big kids or introducing a difficult concept. I change these out monthly for my kids and they are such a hit. One of their favorites was the water beads and some scoops and cups. It provided hours of entertainment! We use a big under-bed storage box, and it has been everything from a dinosaur park to a kinetic sand bin! Also don't be afraid to have your big kids help manage the little ones. I often have the kids take turns spending one on one time with each other and playing with this type of activity if I need to teach something that requires a lot of focus to an individual child.

There are going to be so many resources to tap into during this time. I just want to encourage you to connect with your child's heart, love on them, love on your family, and make this a happy memory for your children. We are all here to support one another, and just remember- sometimes you can teach math making cookies, and sometimes you can learn to spell while you jump on the trampoline. If you find yourself or your kids getting stir crazy, try a change of room- reading a book piled on mommy and daddy's bed is way more fun than the couch- a picnic in the backyard can cure so many problems. Nature journaling and illustrating can be a great way to spend time outdoors. Overall, embrace those little wild hearts and our calling of motherhood!

Thank you so much for this, Lauren! Your words and wisdom are a wealth of knowledge!

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/free-play-school-printables2020-03-14T13:10:00-04:002020-03-14T13:15:38-04:0015 Play School Ideas For Your Kids With Free PrintablesLindsey Riel
When I was little my siblings and I loved to play school! My girls also love it, which thrills me to pieces! With this unexpected 2 week hiatus from school, I thought now would be a great time to create some free play school printables to help entertain all of our kiddos.

I have two daughters, Chloe and Evie. Chloe is 12 and Evie is 7, which makes for a super fun play school dynamic. Chloe is the teacher, Evie loves being the student. They usually create fake lessons, but both of their schools sent home stuff for them to work on over the next couple of weeks, so that takes the guess work out of their pretend school session.

These free play school printables are by no means necessary, but I've found if you show your kids this could be a "real game" and get excited with them, it holds their attention longer.

Included

Classroom Rules Printable

Lesson Plan Printable

Name Plate for their desk Printable

Teacher "Ms. _____'s" Classroom Sign Printable

Cafeteria Sign Printable

Gym Sign Printable

Restroom Sign Printable

15 Play School Ideas For Your Kids With Free Printables

Create classroom decorations together, like paper chains, drawings, or even an alphabet banner!

Go on a nature walk in the backyard and search for rocks, leaves, etc.

Act as though the entire house is a school, and walk "the hallways" to art/pe etc.

Be their "Lunch Lady" and serve them lunch in the "cafeteria" (use printable cafeteria sign for your dining area)

Have a parent's day where they invite you to come visit their classroom.

Visit "the zoo" on a field trip (our dogs love this extra attention)

If you have any old boxes lying around, let them create a school bus out of them.

Have them watch Magic School Bus to learn a thing or 12 from the amazing Mrs. Frizzle (a childhood fav of mine! Who doesn't love her?!)

Play "library" and let them check out books using an object as a scanner (a toy cash register for examle).

Create a group Art project, work on it together, and then give a presentation to your parents.

Book reports, but when they're done reading the report, they also act the book out.

Crazy sock day etc - all the fun days you have at school throughout the year

Show and Tell

Cooking class with Mom

Movie Day

The possibilities are endless! The super fun thing about playing school is there are no limits to their creativity, let them play and they'll think up some of the neatest stuff on their own!

Pro Tip: Throw in a "we all clean up at the end of each day" suggestion when the classroom rules are being discussed. 😂

If there are any additional play school printables you think would be helpful, please let me know in the comments below. We are all in this together, y'all!

I'd love to hear what kind of fun things your kids come up with in the comments below, and tag Playful Paper on social media if you use 'em as well!

xo Lindsey

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/lets-reset-our-schedules-together2020-03-12T21:31:00-04:002020-03-12T21:34:43-04:00Let's Reset Our Schedules TogetherLindsey Riel
Many schools and businesses are closing for 2 and 3+ weeks to help prevent the spread of Corona Virus. Which means a LOT of our routines are about to be upended. Instead of binging Netflix and starting happy hour early (my go-to snow day routine), I decided it's the perfect time to do a big fat control+alt+delete on my schedule and work towards becoming the best version of myself. They say you either run your day, or your day runs you. About once a quarter, I like to do a bit of refinement. With all of the closings, and craziness going on in the world, I think now is a great time for us to hit the reset button together!

The Just Today Planner Was Made For This

I designed the Just Today Planner so that you could either document your schedule or write in the schedule you want. Don't have a Just Today Planner yet? I've created a printable version of the Daily page for you to use. Just use the form below and it will be emailed to you, even if you're already subscribed. Now let's get to creating your ideal day!

Think Big

There are a million and one cute little memes out there that say "you have the same amount of hours in each day as Beyoncè" - It's popular because it's so dang true! You do. Time is a gift. We get a brand new day every 24 hours! So when you sit down to plan your day, think big - whatever big means relative to your ideal life and wants. I have zero desire to be a successful Pop Star, so my days will definitely look different than Taylor Swifts'.

Organize Your Needs & Wants

Okay, here's how I do this. On the left side of my Just Today Planner in the Notes & Stuff section, I list the things I need to do each day, and write the time next to them. For instance: taking the kids to school and picking them up. Same time every day.

Next, I list the things I want to do each day. The things my very best self does. Like exercise, waking up early to get some work done before the kids are up, making time to create things, and having dinner ready at a specific time.

Assemble Your Ideal Day

Once I've completed my wants and needs lists, I start filling in the schedule section of my Just Today Planner . The time slots on this page were intentionally left blank so you could write in your day, no matter your schedule. Work nights or odd hours? Ya good, boo!

Try It Out

Now that you have what you think would make for the ideal day down on paper, give it a go! Wake up when you said you want to wake up (no snoozin'), eat when you said you were going to eat, exercise when you said you were going to exercise. Do all the things at all the times you said you would. Try it for a week, then tweak as necessary. Assuming you're striving for excellence here, the first few days may be uncomfortable. Not many people are super pumped about waking up extra early the first few days, but at some point you hit your stride and it becomes normal.

Use Your Planner

Whether you have the physical Just Today Planner right in front of you, or the free printable version, USE it. I'm a massive fan of glittery, colorful pens, but sometimes you just need to grab whatever's quickest and get to work. This is actually one of the reasons I added so much color to each full page spread of the Just Today Planner - so you get all the happy without having to bust out that bag of fun pens on the reg. That said, you should TOTALLY break 'em out when you have the time.

Point being, don't be afraid to mark through things, and make notes out to the side. Your planner doesn't need to be perfect, it needs to work for YOU!

Tag Us!

In fact, I think we should share our messy planner pages more often on social media - tag @playfulpaperco on instagram or @playfulpaper on Facebook when you share your well used pages, so we can celebrate you keepin' it real!

Community

Playful Paper's mission:

To create purposeful products that inspire a community that chooses to make the ordinary magical,LIVE FUN,LOVE BOLDLY,and RADIATE POSITIVITY.

We would be thrilled to pieces if you'll join us in the brand new Playful Paper Facebook group! I've named it the Playful Paper Village, because it takes a village to do life. Let's BE the village. For ourselves, for our real life family and friends, and for those friends that seem to live in our screens. Everyone needs a village.

What Works for YOU?

I'll be sharing more about my schedule in there, and things that have and have not worked for me in the past. Most importantly, I want to hear from you! Sharing what does and doesn't work for each and every one of us will help our village grow in refinement and efficiency! Woo Hoo!

If you joined the facebook group, drop a heart in the comments below! I can't wait to see the amazing things our village is able to accomplish together!

xo Lindsey]]>
https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/dance-party-playlist2020-03-04T10:31:00-05:002020-03-04T10:45:09-05:00Dance Party PlaylistLindsey Riel
Y'all ever just need a little something to help you get through the day? A second cup of coffee and this playlist is my go-to pick-me-up! These songs are guaranteed to have you wigglin' in your chair at work, singing into the mop, bouncin' in traffic, and dancing while you fold that laundry!

Y'all, can you even believe it's already March of 2020!? I'm clearly sitting here with "holy cow, really?" face. At the very top of my reasons to be excited about the month of March is...impending SPRING! Who's ready for more sunshine, longer days (hello daylight savings time!), and the promise of Summer!? 🙋🏻‍♀️

Free March Lockscreen Wallpaper With Calendar

Is it even a new month if you don't update your screensavers? I get super bored with backgrounds quickly, maybe it's the designer in me, but it's a win for the rest of y'all who also love to switch 'em out on the reg!

I've created four phone wallpapers or lockscreens to help keep all of us fun, colorful and on top of our sched this month!

Woo Hoo!

Just click on the one you want below, and the full sized version will appear for you to save.

Important Dates to Remember

At the beginning of each month I like to setup Google Calendar alerts for holidays I don't want to miss. I'll be writing here on the blog soon about the system I use to keep track of all the things, and can't wait to share that with you!

Be sure and subscribe to the newsletter below for updates, free stuff, discounts and more!

It's February!!! Here's a fun February Lockscreen Wallpaper With Calendar and Desktop Background to add a little love to your screens! Click the images below to download the full sized images.

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/goodie-baskets-for-delivery-drivers-with-free-printable2019-12-13T12:58:00-05:002019-12-13T12:58:47-05:00Goodie Baskets for Delivery Drivers With Free PrintableLindsey Riel
Most of you have probably seen the viral video of the delivery driver who saw the basket of goodies someone set out for them and said "Oh this is nice!" If not, here it is, you have to watch this...

The dance at the end is my favorite part :) Pure joy! Things like this - simple little things that brighten someone's day, are what we could always use more of in this world.

It's the month of couch snuggles, and bundling the kiddos up to play outside so hot chocolate is that much better when they get back in.

December tends to fly by for us, so having this December Phone Calendar Lockscreen Wallpaper a glance away is especially handy this month.

Simply click the image you'd like to use below and save to your device.

Happy December!

xo Lindsey

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/november-calendar-lockscreen-screensaver2019-11-06T10:26:00-05:002019-11-06T10:26:07-05:00November Calendar Lockscreen ScreensaverLindsey Riel
I'll be honest - sometimes I don't know what month it is. Like this month, since I'm almost a week late posting this. #betterlatethannever amiright?

Some of us have brains people make memes about - They don't stop, and it's mostly important stuff clouded by unimportant stuff that likes to squeeze itself between the important thoughts and, well, it's nice to be able to glance down at my phone and see "Oh, November, ha! Cool..."

Also "Gather" it's important. Click the screensaver/lockscreen of your choice below, and it will take you to the full size image. Then just save and apply it as your wallpaper, lockscreen, screensaver, whatever ya wanna call it.

Yay November!

xo Lindsey

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/10-happy-heart-things-you-can-do-this-month2019-10-08T09:59:00-04:002019-10-08T09:59:26-04:0010 Happy Heart Ideas for OctoberLindsey Riel
Like a lot of kids, our girls weren't too keen on sharing their toys when they were little. Part of what helped us teach them to share was explaining in the simplest of terms, when you do something nice for someone, you both get to feel happy. Parenting is crazy difficult, but this one message has really stuck. Praise the Lord!

The feeling you get when you've done something nice for someone is what we refer to as a "happy heart" moment in our family. It usually goes something like this ..

Me - "Whatever dude, you did something nice and you know it gave you a happy heart!"

Kid - *walks away slowly because I have a super cheesy smile on my face and they feel a monster hug headed their way*

I'm kidding, but honestly, that feeling you get when you do even the smallest of things to help someone out is the freakin' best! It literally feels like your heart is smiling, so we call it "happy heart".

My Sister and I collaborated on a project called LoveSent years back. If you've followed me for that long you'll remember the fun little cards and such. It's something I hope she's able to continue to push forward in the coming years and look forward to seeing all the good she's able to do with it! Essentially the same idea, doing good for good's sake in simple ways that make a huge difference.

There are some days we can find a million obvious ways to make someone smile, and others we need ideas, so here are...

10 Happy Heart Ideas for October

1. Rake your neighbor's leaves for them.

2. Surprise your friend with their favorite coffee.

3. Drop a handwritten note in the mail to someone in your life who could use a little pick me up.

4. Leave a note in your mailbox thanking your postal worker.

5. If you like someone's super sweet outfit, tell 'em! We're big on that in this family. I've got my kids yelling at the people in drive thru's when they like their sparkly nails ✨. Compliments are the best!

9. Call an elderly relative or friend just to ask them how they're doing and talk. This one goes a long way, y'all!

10. Ask people you encounter how their day is going, and listen.

I have a fun little story for you regarding number ten on that list.

Our family loves Disney World and Universal Orlando, and we try to go annually. Any theme park versed folks know how cranky people can get with the heat and the crowds. Our last trip was winding down after a long day of parkin' it up, and we were in line for Jimmy Fallon's ride when the man who worked there asked us the seemingly obligatory "Hi, how are you?" - I responded and asked him how he was doing and waited for him to reply. He then said "I'm fantastic, and you know you're the only person who's asked ME how I'm doing today? Come with me.." He then proceeded to walk us to the front of the line where he told the woman at the door we were his "VIP" guests. All because I responded to his simple question and asked him how he was doing. It meant THAT much to him. What a huge lesson learned that day.

The biggest blessing of all was that my kids were there to witness what one small gesture can mean to a person. Ever since, I make sure to genuinely ask people how they are doing and actually listen to their answer. Prior to that experience, who knows how often I did? What a blessin' and a lesson, as my girl Miranda Lambert says :)

Has anything like that ever happened to you? What are some things you do to help brighten someone's day? I'd love to hear 'em in the comments below.

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/13-halloween-movies-the-whole-family-can-watch-together2019-10-01T08:41:00-04:002019-10-01T08:41:23-04:0013 Halloween Movies the Whole Family Can Watch Together With Printable October CalendarLindsey Riel

We LOVE Halloween in this family! Starting in September we begin planning our October activities, and one of our favorite traditions is watching as many Halloween movies as possible.

Some channels, like Freeform, will do an entire month of different Halloween movies each night. But to make sure we see all our favs, we make our own calendar.

Below are some of our favorites, sure to get you in the Halloween spirit!! Bonus, most of are whimsical Halloween movies the whole family can watch together.

The Addams Family

Hocus Pocus

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Casper

Beetlejuice

The Haunted Mansion

The Witches (a childhood fav!)

Goosebumps

Coraline (my kids love this movie!)

Monster House

Hotel Transylvania

Ghostbusters (The Original)

It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

Use the free printable below to start putting your October Calendar together at your next Family Meeting! And subscribe at the bottom of the page to receive your free Family Meeting Printable.

Simply click the image below and the October Calendar PDF will download automatically.

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/family-friendly-halloween-playlist2019-09-24T16:23:00-04:002020-03-04T10:38:34-05:00Family Friendly Halloween PlaylistLindsey Riel
We are not morning people around here, so, to help start the day off on the right foot I wake our kids up with music. Gotta have a playlist handy for just about every mood!

Our go-to fav song for most of last year was Max Frost - Good Morning. It's the jam, y'all!

During months with holidays I alter our playlist to fit the theme. Here are our favorite Halloween themed songs to wake up to, and have on in the background each day of October!

Family Friendly Halloween Playlist

Grim Grinning Ghosts (where my Disney fans at?!)

The Addams Family (snap snap)

I Put A Spell On You

Harry's Wondrous World (a regular fav for any morning)

This Is Halloween

Monster Mash

Purple People Eater

Magic Dance - Labyrinth, Second favorite movie of all time.

Heffalumps and Woozles

Boo to You - Could not find this on Spotify, but Disney fans know what I'm talking about.

Poor Unfortunate Souls

Once Upon A Dream from Maleficent (spooky!)

999 Happy Haunts

Ghostbusters

Witch Doctor

Somebody's Watching Me

Season of the Witch

Twilight Zone Theme

Otherworldly Concerto from the Haunted Mansion - fantastic background music

Listen on Spotify:

Pin this to your Pinterest Playlist Board!

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https://playfulpaper.com/blogs/playful-paper/thank-a-police-officer-day-printable2019-09-20T13:02:00-04:002019-09-20T14:27:25-04:00Thank A Police Officer Day PrintableLindsey RielSeptember 21st is National Thank A Police Officer Day! Let's show our Police Officers we appreciate all they do, and thank them for risking their lives to keep us safe on a daily basis! Download the free printable

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Tomorrow, September 21st, is National Thank A Police Officer Day! These men and women go to work each day and stand between us and whatever may arise. They've seen things they'll never be able to forget, and witnessed the absolute worst of humanity.

Their profession has also received a lot of negative press in recent years, resulting in a shortage of new recruits. Let's show our Police Officers we appreciate all they do, and thank them for risking their lives to keep us safe on a daily basis!

What We Can Do

My daughter recently drew a picture for the Police Officer at their school, and not only did it bring awareness to her that he was there to help keep her safe, it put a big smile on his face.

I've left the back blank so you can write a little note of thanks if you like. You could even attach a gift card for coffee, or, my 7 year old's suggestion, a candy bar! :)